TWI399941B - Techniques utilizing a layer-2 proxy for energy-efficient service discovery and connectivity in networks - Google Patents

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a method of server energy conservation in networks, comprising integrating a layer-2 service discovery proxy with an access point (AP) in the network, wherein the AP advertises the services on behalf of servers in the network to enable the servers to go to a low power state and conserve energy.

Description

Technology for the use of Layer 2 agents for energy efficient service discovery and connectivity in the network

The present invention is directed to techniques for utilizing Layer 2 agents for energy efficient service discovery and connectivity in a network.

Background of the invention

Today, network devices that provide services (such as printing, projection, display, and file sharing services) (hereafter referred to as "servers") need to stay connected in response to client devices from the service ("clients"). ) request. However, power savings are also the most important. Further, many devices today are mobile, with a wireless network interface and limited battery power. These devices need to be able to efficiently search or advertise their own services without draining their batteries very quickly.

Thus, there is a strong need for technologies for efficient service discovery and connectivity in the network.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for server energy saving in a network is specifically proposed, which comprises the steps of: integrating a second layer service discovery agent with an access point (AP) in the network. Together, the AP advertises its services on behalf of servers in the network to enable the servers to enter a low power state and conserve energy.

Simple illustration

The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and clearly claimed at the end of the specification. The present invention and its objects, features and advantages are best understood by referring to the following detailed description when read

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary process for performing energy savings, service discovery, and service connectivity based on Layer 2 agents in an embodiment of the present invention.

It is understood that the elements illustrated in the figures are not necessarily to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to the other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, the reference numerals in the figures are used to indicate corresponding or similar elements.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the invention.

Embodiments of the invention are available in a variety of applications. Some embodiments of the present invention can be used in combination with various devices and systems, for example, a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, a transceiver, a wireless communication station, a wireless communication device, and a wireless access point. (AP), a data machine, a wireless data machine, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a server computer, a A handheld computer, a handheld device, a PDA device or a handheld PDA device.

Although embodiments of the invention are not limited in this regard, the discussion utilizes, for example, "processing", "operation", "calculation", "decision", "establishment", "analysis", "inspection" or A similar term may refer to the operation and/or program of a computer, a computing platform, an computing system, or other electronic computing device that will be physically (eg, electronic) within the scratchpad and/or memory of the computer. The amount of data represented and/or converted into physical quantities expressed in the computer's registers and/or memory or other information storage media that can store instructions for performing operations and/or programs. data.

Although the embodiments of the present invention are not limited in this regard, the terms "plurality" and "a plurality" may be used to include, for example, "plurality" or "two or more." The terms "plurality" or "an" are used to describe two or more components, devices, elements, units, parameters or the like. For example, "multiple stations" may include two or more stations.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for integrating an agent with an access point (AP), such as but not limited to a wireless access point, as a layer 2 agent for energy efficient service discovery. Integrating an agent with Layer 2 service discovery is also a novelty of the present invention, which allows a client device to discover services in the network without having to connect to a network. Further, the second layer proxy in the embodiment of the present invention enables both the server and the client device to interrupt the connection with the wireless network and maintain the connection when needed, thus eliminating the maintenance of network connectivity. The burden and further reduce the power consumption.

An embodiment of the present invention, generally shown at 100 in FIG. 1, processes energy savings in a server 110 (e.g., printer, display projector, etc.) in a network connected through a wireless AP/router 115. A lightweight second layer solution included in the wireless AP/router 115 is provided. Essentially, it integrates a second layer of service discovery agents with the AP. The wireless AP 115 saves energy on behalf of the server 110 advertising the services so that the servers can enter a low power state. Further, a server 110 using an agent can save more power by interrupting the connection to the network and periodically listening to the beacon to determine if it should wake up and reconnect.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary process for performing energy savings, service discovery, and service connectivity based on Layer 2 agents is performed in an embodiment of the present invention. Embodiments of the invention may include the following components and processes:

1. Service registration, step 125: If a server wants to save energy when it is idle, it registers its own service, device ID with the wireless AP agent.

2. Layer 2 Service Discovery Agent: The agent in the AP records the service information registered by the server, and then indicates, by its beacon, that the services are available, step 130. In order to save the beacon bandwidth, some service details in the beacon frame are usually omitted.

3. The server can now enter a low power state, step 135. For example, it typically goes to sleep and only periodically wakes up to listen to beacons and maintain connectivity (on some devices, only the network interface card (NIC) keeps running to maintain its connection to the AP). The server may even completely interrupt the connection to the AP and periodically wake up, listen to beacons, and check if a reconnection is required if its service is requested.

4. Service discovery based on Layer 2 agent, step 140: First, when a client device 120, such as a hyper mobile device, searches for services in the network, it finds that the second layer service discovery is affected by the network. This AP is supported as a service discovery agent. The client device may discover services advertised by the AP through broadcasts (e.g., beacons or some other Layer 2 messages) or directed messages (e.g., via exchanged probe requests and probe responses) or a combination of the two.

It is important to point out that in this step, the client may already be connected to the network (internal) or not yet connected (external). This also allows a client to interrupt the connection to the network to save power once the service is completed. It is not necessary for the client to maintain a connection to keep track of service updates or new announcements, as these are handled by the agent.

5. AP-supported connection establishment, step 145: When the client selects a particular server and requests to connect with it, the request will be recognized by the AP. If the server maintains a connection with the AP when it is in low power mode, the AP can pass through, for example, wake-on-LAN and wake-on-wireless (similar to the regional network). The wake-up of the road, in which a magic packet can wake up a device, awakens it, it being understood that the invention is not limited in this respect. If the server is interrupted and the beacon is only periodically checked, the AP then indicates with its beacon that the server needs to reconnect (eg, including the provider's device ID in the beacon and setting a bit to indicate the need) Reconnect), step 150. The server is then responsible for re-establishing the connection when the device ID of the server is seen in the beacon. Once the server wakes up and connects to the AP, step 155, the AP can then forward the connection request so that the server and client can connect to each other. At step 160, the AP forwards the connection request and completes the connection establishment of the client and server at step 165.

It should be noted that if the client is not connected to the network in step 4, the program that connects to the network will be integrated into step 5. For example, the example shown in FIG. 1 is, but not limited to, in step 5, when the client is associated with the AP (ie, connected to the network), the client is also implying the server. I want to use this server.

As provided herein, embodiments of the present invention further save power by saving the cost of maintaining network connectivity (including Layer 2 connection maintenance, answering ARP requests, maintaining DHCP status, etc.) so that the server can interrupt the connection to the AP. Further, embodiments of the present invention make it easier to detect the agent failure because the agent feature has been integrated into the AP, and the failure can be inferred by the presence of the second layer service discovery and the server wakeup information element in the beacon. The optional higher layer protocol based approach makes it much more difficult for the server to know if the agent is still running in the network. By applying the agent at the second level, it is easy to integrate with the second layer of service discovery, so that clients connected to the network or not connected to the network can discover the services provided in the network. This feature enables a client device to conserve power and discover that the network provides the service by interrupting the connection to the network and only when a service is required. Finally, embodiments of the present invention support server devices that also perform different higher layer service discovery protocols such as, but not limited to, UPnP and ZeroConf.

While certain features and advantages of the invention are disclosed and described herein Therefore, it is to be understood that the scope of the appended claims is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.

100. . . Example

110. . . server

115. . . Wireless AP/router

120. . . Client device

125~165. . . step

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary process for performing energy savings, service discovery, and service connectivity based on Layer 2 agents in an embodiment of the present invention.

100. . . Example

110. . . server

115. . . Wireless AP/router

120. . . Client device

125~165. . . step

Claims (20)

A method for server energy saving in a wireless network, comprising the steps of: integrating a service discovery agent with an access point (AP) in the wireless network, and using the service discovery agent Recording, in the AP, service information registered by at least one server in the wireless network, wherein the AP advertises its service on behalf of at least one server in the wireless network, and the AP transmits a broadcast or directed message or two The combination of the parties indicates that the services are available, wherein the client device with the advertising service can discover the services in the wireless network without having to connect to the wireless network. The method of claim 1, further comprising: if the server is connected via a wireless link, interrupting the connection with the network, and periodically listening to the beacon to determine whether it should wake up and reconnect. The method of claim 1, further comprising the server registering the server service, device ID, and any other required server information with the AP agent. The method of claim 3, further comprising: recording, by the agent, the service information registered by the server in the AP, and then using the beacon to indicate that the services are available. The method of claim 4, further comprising omitting some of the service details from the beacon frames to conserve the beacon bandwidth. The method of claim 4, further comprising The server now enters a low power state and sleeps, and only periodically wakes up to listen to the beacon and maintain connectivity. The method of claim 4, further comprising the server completely disconnecting the AP and periodically waking up to listen to the beacon and checking if a reconnection is required if the service is requested. The method of claim 4, further comprising using the proxy service discovery, including discovering a service advertised by the AP via a broadcast or directed message or a combination of the two. The method of claim 8, further comprising: establishing, by the client, a connection supported by the AP, when the client selects a particular server and requests to connect thereto, the request is to be recognized by the AP, and if The AP can wake it up if it remains connected to the AP while in the low power mode. The method of claim 9, wherein if the server interrupts the connection and only periodically checks the beacon, the AP then uses its beacon to indicate that the server needs to be reconnected, and then the servo When the device sees its device ID in the beacon, the server is responsible for re-establishing the connection. The method of claim 10, wherein once the server wakes up and connects to the AP, the AP can forward the connection request so that the server can connect to the client. A device for server energy saving in a wireless network, comprising: a device integrated with an access point (AP) in the wireless network a service discovery agent, and wherein the service information registered by at least one server in the wireless network is recorded in the AP, wherein the AP advertises its service on behalf of at least one server in the wireless network, through the broadcast Or a directed message or a combination of both indicates that such services are available, wherein a client device having an advertising service can discover services in the wireless network without having to connect to the wireless network. The device of claim 12, wherein the server interrupts the connection with the network and periodically listens to the beacon to determine if the server should wake up and reconnect. The device of claim 12, further comprising the server registering the server's service, device ID, and any other required server information with the AP agent. The device of claim 14, wherein the AP agent records service information registered by the server in the AP and uses its beacon to indicate that the service is available. The device of claim 15, further comprising omitting some of the service details from the beacon frame to save the beacon bandwidth. The device of claim 15, wherein the server enters a low power state and sleeps, and only periodically wakes up to listen to the beacon and maintain connectivity. The device of claim 15 further comprising the server completely disconnecting the AP and periodically waking up to listen to the beacon and checking if a reconnection is required if the service is requested. The device of claim 15, wherein the agent service The service discovery includes discovering services that are advertised by the AP through broadcast or directed messages or a combination of both. The device of claim 19, wherein when the client selects a particular server and requests to connect with it, it establishes a connection supported by the AP, and the request is recognized by the AP, and if the server The AP can wake it up if it remains connected to the AP while in low power mode.